A small golden statue falls from a height of 8.2 m and lands on a pillow. If the acceleration of the statue upon striking the pillow is constant, what is the value of the acceleration if the pillow compresses by 3.9 cm as the statue comes to rest? A) 2100 m/s² B) 21 m/s² C) 160 m/s² D) 210 m/s²

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The acceleration can be found using the work-energy principle and kinematic equations. The statue falls under gravity, so its initial velocity upon reaching the pillow can be found using $v^2 = u^2 + 2gh$, where $u = 0$, $g = 9.8 \, \text{m/s}^2$, and $h = 8.2 \, \text{m}$. Then, to stop the statue, the pillow must exert a deceleration over its compression distance ($0.039 \, \text{m}$). Using $v^2 = u^2 + 2as$, where $v = 0$ when the statue stops, and solving for $a$, we find the acceleration (deceleration in this context) is approximately $2100 \, \text{m/s}^2$.

A Small Golden Statue Falls from a Height of 8